Built In Washington: Lark Skov
January 21, 2020 | Women's Rowing
by Marley Avritt
Growing up, Lark Skov never imagined herself sitting bow seat in an Empacher eight on the University of Washington's rowing team; instead she dreamt of using her bow to play the viola for a music program.
It was not until Lark's junior year in high school when she realized athletics made her happier than playing music. Lark continued to play the viola, but spent more of her time cross-country skiing. Being on the ski team was when Lark realized how much she loved being and competing on a team.
When the time came to choose a college, Lark chose UW because "it was a big school, in a big city, which was something I had never experienced before."
Lark grew up in a small town in Colorado, which is where her high school coach introduced her to rowing. "My coach knew I would miss being on a team," she recalls, "so he was the one who told me about the walk-on tryouts at UW."
So, Lark showed up to the rowing team tryouts on the first day with very little knowledge about the sport, and even fewer expectations. All Lark remembers from the tryouts is "being intimidated and having no idea what to do."
Not only did Lark make the team her first year, but she raced the Novice 8+ boat that helped the women's rowing team sweep the Pac-12 Championships in 2017.
Over the last three years, Lark has won another Pac-12 Championship, helped the team sweep NCAAs in 2019, and earned a bronze medal at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships for Team USA.
As Lark enters her last season with the UW rowing team, she feels lucky to have found UW, and especially this team. For Lark, "this last season is one more opportunity to try for my teammates rather than myself."
Lark, and the rest of the Huskies will get their spring racing season underway February 29 down at Lake Las Vegas against USC.
- Leading up to the start of the season, we'll introduce you to several members of the UW men's and women's rowing teams with this "Built in Washington" series, written by women's team varsity coxswain Marley Avritt.
Growing up, Lark Skov never imagined herself sitting bow seat in an Empacher eight on the University of Washington's rowing team; instead she dreamt of using her bow to play the viola for a music program.
It was not until Lark's junior year in high school when she realized athletics made her happier than playing music. Lark continued to play the viola, but spent more of her time cross-country skiing. Being on the ski team was when Lark realized how much she loved being and competing on a team.
When the time came to choose a college, Lark chose UW because "it was a big school, in a big city, which was something I had never experienced before."
Lark grew up in a small town in Colorado, which is where her high school coach introduced her to rowing. "My coach knew I would miss being on a team," she recalls, "so he was the one who told me about the walk-on tryouts at UW."
So, Lark showed up to the rowing team tryouts on the first day with very little knowledge about the sport, and even fewer expectations. All Lark remembers from the tryouts is "being intimidated and having no idea what to do."
Not only did Lark make the team her first year, but she raced the Novice 8+ boat that helped the women's rowing team sweep the Pac-12 Championships in 2017.
Over the last three years, Lark has won another Pac-12 Championship, helped the team sweep NCAAs in 2019, and earned a bronze medal at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships for Team USA.
As Lark enters her last season with the UW rowing team, she feels lucky to have found UW, and especially this team. For Lark, "this last season is one more opportunity to try for my teammates rather than myself."
Lark, and the rest of the Huskies will get their spring racing season underway February 29 down at Lake Las Vegas against USC.
- Leading up to the start of the season, we'll introduce you to several members of the UW men's and women's rowing teams with this "Built in Washington" series, written by women's team varsity coxswain Marley Avritt.
Players Mentioned
COX
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